By SUSAN MARQUEZ • Photography by AMELIA J. MOORE
How Lauren Dunn turned her Delta roots and love of color into whimsical works of art
As a child growing up in Leland, Lauren Dunn cannot remember a time when art was not a part of her life. “I watched a show on TV that opened with a chest full of art supplies, and I was mesmerized,” she recalls. The show was called The Art Chest, featuring artist Dan Mihuta. “I also loved watching Bob Ross paint his happy trees!”
Today, she is a fine artist and the CEO of Lauren Dunn Company. An innovator, Dunn originated the acrylic art cutout as a way to offer fresh, accessible art for any space. She credits her Delta upbringing, which she says helped her develop an appreciation for past generations while allowing her to present her interpretation in a fresh, modern way.
By the time she was in eighth grade, Dunn began taking private art lessons from Southern artist Bobby Tompkins. “I learned to paint with oil paint, and I loved it.” She continued painting throughout high school at Washington School and later enrolled at Delta State University. “I majored in graphic design. I had always heard about ‘starving artists,’ so I did not believe it was possible to make a living as an artist. At least with a graphic design degree, I felt I would be able to get a ‘real job’ when I finished college.”
The irony, Dunn says, is that she never worked a day in her life as a graphic artist. She minored in painting, and shortly before graduating from college, she ran into Dr. Audrey Sidney, headmaster at Washington School, who told her the school needed an art teacher. “I started teaching right out of college, and I taught for seven years before I had children.” She later taught for two years at Jackson Academy in Jackson, Mississippi. “During that time, I did some art on my own—not really to sell, but because I enjoyed painting.”
After having children, Dunn became a stay-at-home mother. “I started painting for enjoyment at home,” she says. “I also began creating large, chunky frames that held family photos. My husband built them, and I painted and distressed them.” The couple sold the frames at indoor and outdoor arts and crafts shows throughout the Southeast. “My true love was always painting, though, so I eventually began taking fine art to the shows as well. That led to a career as a fine artist, and I painted professionally for the next ten to fifteen years.”
Eventually, Dunn slowed down on arts and crafts shows and began doing commissions and working with galleries. “I began feeling a nudge that I needed to start making prints—reproducing my art to sell wholesale.”
Her original pieces were painted on wooden panels. “I wanted to reproduce my work on wood panels so they would have the look and feel of my originals, and I wanted to take them to market to be sold in stores,” she says. Around that time, she noticed the growing popularity of acrylic framing and wanted to explore the concept in a new way. After asking a manufacturer to experiment with cutting acrylic shapes using a laser cutter, the idea of acrylic art cutouts was born through trial and error.
At her first market, Dunn filled her booth primarily with wood prints but included four or five acrylic cutouts off to the side. “I was surprised when that is what everyone wanted.” The concept was an immediate success and launched her lifestyle brand.
Initially, manufacturing took place in South Carolina and later Florida, but demand soon exceeded capacity. “We had to pivot to a new manufacturing company in Illinois,” she says. When that company later closed, Dunn had the opportunity to purchase the building and equipment. “We were fortunate to retain some of the staff and never missed a beat. Now we control the manufacturing, which has been a huge blessing. Everything has happened in God’s perfect timing.”
Today, the company—Delta + Dunn—not only manufactures Dunn’s work but also provides manufacturing services for other artists. “What is so cool about acrylic, especially fine art in acrylic form, is that it is the perfect way to display art,” she says.
Dunn’s husband, Nathan, grew up in Greenwood. “We met when he was the basketball coach at Washington School, and I was the art teacher,” she says. Married for twenty-three years, the couple now works together as business partners. Nathan retired from medical sales to join the company and now oversees manufacturing operations.
Dunn’s acrylic pieces are colorful, whimsical, and inspiring. With several hundred designs available, her collections range from spiritual to patriotic themes. She typically releases two major collections each year, with smaller releases throughout the year, and attends Atlanta and Dallas markets each January and July.
Her work is sold in nearly 1,000 stores, primarily in the Southeast, with additional retailers in the Northeast and western United States. Reflecting on her journey, Dunn recalls once fearing the idea of being a “starving artist.” “I hate that saying,” she says. “It scares people away from creativity. To be successful as an artist, you have to see art as a career, not a hobby.”
Lauren and Nathan Dunn live in the Nashville area, where she now paints at her kitchen table. Surrounded by her two sons and family pets, Dunn continues to draw inspiration from her Delta roots. Her work reflects her love of color, texture, history, and storytelling.
Today, Dunn feels she has found balance as both an artist and business owner. “I am filled with gratitude for the gift of art and for those who have supported me throughout my career,” she says. “Knowing my art is shared in people’s homes brings me immense joy. There is so much beauty in this life.”
One Response
Enjoyed reading this article. She was probably at DSU when I worked in the Housing and Residence Life Office. Hope she will be inspired to have a piece celebrating America’s 250th birthday. I’d love to have one.